1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tissue-sampling device, and more particularly, to a biopsy device.
2. Related Art
For various medical reasons, such as diagnostic tests and the like, it is often necessary for a physician, surgeon or other medical practitioner (generally referred to hereinafter as a “surgeon”) to obtain a sample of a patient's body. During these sampling or biopsy procedures, the samples may be taken from a variety of organs and other soft tissue, or from a more rigid structure such as a bone or bone marrow.
There are a variety of medical procedures to obtain a tissue sample. For example, an endoscopic procedure commonly referred to as an endoscopic biopsy procedure, is often used to obtain tissue samples within a patient's body. During an endoscopic biopsy procedure, a sample of a target tissue is removed from a patient with an endoscopic biopsy device having a tissue acquisition element. The endoscopic biopsy device may include an elongate tube having a lighted camera on a distal end, collectively referred to as an endoscope or endoscope camera, that is used by the surgeon to view the target tissue during the biopsy procedure. Other devices or systems for visualizing the sampling procedure may also be used. For example, any radiographic, fluoroscopic, or other navigational or guidance modality, including COT, may also be used for visualizing the sampling procedure.
In certain devices, the biopsy or tissue acquisition element may be passed through a catheter that is separate from the tube having a camera thereon. Likewise, other devices may also be inserted through or around the endoscope.
A sample of the target tissue is generally taken using a brush or a needle attached to a cable within the endoscopic device. Following sampling of the target tissue, the tissue sample is removed from the patient and examined. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist or chemically analyzed using, for example, gas chromatography techniques.
Depending on the target tissue and other physical conditions or circumstances, sampling of internal tissue may be difficult or may require skill to quickly and efficiently obtain an adequate tissue sample to permit proper examination by a pathologist or other medical practitioner.